About

$38,881

312

The Soccermen follows two Brits who take the reigns of a team touted as "the worst soccer team in the world". It seemed like a good idea at the time, but coaching novices Paul and Matt find themselves on a remote Pacific Island with a population whose obesity rate is 90 percent, toad-infested facilities and one of the world's wettest climates. With no resources and the hopes of 16 Islanders resting on their shoulders, the coaches take their team to the mainland in search of the the island's first ever victory.

How The Soccermen started: Paul was a journalist who hated his job, I didn't have a job to hate - but we both love soccer enough to let it get the better of us. In 2009, after a few too many cups of tea, we had the crazy idea to ditch the drudgery of life and pursue our dream of playing international soccer. One problem: Who would take us? Neither of us were what you would call "talented."

A few more cups of tea and some Googling later we found the island of Pohnpei, a tiny speck in the Pacific Ocean. Pohnpei had never won a game and were called "the worst team in the world." Perfect! - we thought. Let's grab a camera, pop over to the other side of the world, wow the locals with some kick-ups, play a game, win and become local legends forever!

Not exactly.

After a 48 hour flight we touched down on an island unlike anything we had ever seen. It was beautiful, very weird and everyone was staring at us. We bee-lined to team practice anxious to meet our new team-mates. But lo and behold - there was no team at all!

From this moment our mission became clear: Help Pohnpei create something pure and noble to call their own - a team capable of competing and winning their first game. Away from the over-commercialized trappings and glitz of the modern game, we had the chance to do something truly grass roots. Our mission became an obsession.

But, building a team in the middle of nowhere in the stifling heat and driving rain with no funding is no easy feat. Especially on a waterlogged field inhabited by hundreds of toads and dogs. Recruiting players and bridging the enormous cultural gap to instill a professional discipline needed to compete at international level wasn't any easier. Our star player was run over and almost killed by a drunk driver, our funding repeatedly fell through, I got 3rd degree sun burns, Paul got boils - yes boils, ...and we didn't have a working toilet. Nevertheless, inspired by our players, many of whom walked miles to and from training in the pummeling rain, we flew them off the island (in many cases for their first time) to face island rivals and Pacific soccer powerhouses, Guam in Pohnpei's first competitive game in decades.

WHY HELP THE SOCCERMEN? This is a true underdog story in a fantastically quirky and beautiful
part of the world.

If you have read this far, then you are the kind of person
we want to make happy by completing this film. You probably love movies, you
may love soccer but you are definitely someone who wants to see a positive
story about dedicated people making a difference doing something they believe in.

Whether you have heard of Pohnpei or not, this film will show you that everyone
is entitled to live their dream. Their rain-soaked, sunburned dream. We
want to give as many people as possible a fun and inspiring reason to DO THAT
THING that you’ve always wanted to do, no matter how impossible it may seem.

What we need: $35,000
to complete the movie by December 2012. Completion entails:

* If you like our
project, follow soccer and support independent film, please pledge today via
Kickstarter. ALL contributions, big and small will make a difference. And all pledges will be rewarded! Check out the
donation tiers to your right to find the level and gift that’s right for you!

* Spread the Soccermen gospel by telling friends and family about the film and this
Kickstarter campaign. We're in this together! Please send the URL of this page with a sincere endorsement to everyone you know. "Like" us on Facebook, Tweet, Blog and email. Here is OUR WEBSITE where we will constantly be adding content for to you disseminate!

* If you have any other creative ideas please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you - pohnpeisoccer@gmail.com

HOW KICKSTARTER WORKS:

Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing funding model for creative projects. We’ve come a long way but
we are putting everything on the line
here. If we don’t raise our goal of $35,000, we lose everything, and no
money changes hands. If we do reach
our goal, the film will come out in December 2012, and it will be because of people like you!

Our campaign will last for ONLY 60 days. Yikes - not a lot of time. If you can, please pledge now – it will help build crucial momentum.

During our campaign and beyond we will
keep you updated and entertained on the progress of the film. We want our
supporters to know how much we appreciate their involvement and advocacy.
Soccer is a team game, a global game and that’s the spirit we want this
campaign and this film to embody.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 100 or more
About US$ 100

A Thank You tweet, your name and photo on www.thesoccermen.com, a Pohnpei Soccer bumper sticker, a dvd of the movie PLUS A PERSONAL PHONE CALL FROM THE PRODUCERS AND A
SPECIAL THANKS CREDIT IN THE MOVIE!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 250 or more
About US$ 250

A Thank You tweet, your name and photo on www.thesoccermen.com, a Pohnpei Soccer bumper sticker, a Thank You call from Producers, a dvd of the movie, a special thanks credit in the movie PLUS SIGNED COPY OF THE BOOK, UP POHNPEI, WRITTEN BY PAUL WATSON AND PUBLISHED BY PROFILE BOOKS!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 350 or more
About US$ 350

A Thank You tweet, your name and photo on our donor wall at www.thesoccermen.com, a Pohnpei Soccer bumper sticker, thank you call from Producers, a dvd of the movie, a special thanks credit in the movie, a signed copy of Up Pohnpei signed by Paul PLUS AN EMBED-ABLE THANK YOU VIDEO FROM THE PRODUCERS.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge US$ 2,500 or more
About US$ 2,500

All the above. PLUS: either the producer will play for your football team (depending on location) or you'll receive a match ball from the Pohnpei Premier League signed by the Pohnpei Team. You'll also be treated to a personal LA screening (travel not included) of the film before it's released with Producer, Matt Conrad and Pohnpei Captain Dilshan Senarathgoda.